Empty - 2. Captain Grouch

Humans are fascinating creatures. They claim to be the most intellectual species and they believe they are social beings but fail to socialise with people and vocalise their pain. Odd but fascinating creatures indeed. They are also the most annoying.

Which brings me to why I started this rant in the first place. My brother thinks it’s fun to go through my stuff and move things in the hopes that I’ll find what he has taken and what he has moved from my room. At age 18, you’d think he’s the more intellectual one with a sense of maturity. Wrong! He is as immature as a toddler and quite frankly, as thick as a brick. A jock to boot, he believes that he is the definition of what a man should be. My parents don’t really care about what he does or his beliefs as they expect us to be independent people.

Cameron Wells, my brother. Not the brightest bulb but he is one of the best athletes at his school (note I said his school). He attends the athletics academy on the other side of town. When my parents saw he had no intellectual aptitude, they enrolled him in a place where his skills would shine (and other skills would rot). He’s not much of a social butterfly but he’s not afraid to speak to people.

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Dinner is a… how can I say it, business-like affair in our household. There are no social activities held around the table. It’s more like a boardroom meeting where we just state what each of us did that day, pass any notices that need to be passed, eat and go our separate ways. The maids come and clean the table once everyone has gone. It wasn’t always like this. There used to be happier days. I guess I didn’t explain that Alex isn’t the only person I’ve lost.

I "had" a twin brother. Now, he’s not dead so don’t worry about that. It’s just that, we don’t connect like other twins. From the moment we were born, we’ve competed against one another but even then we were happy I guess. The man I call "dad" now is actually my stepdad. My mom and dad got divorced when we turned 12 and my twin brother chose to go off with our dad. I haven’t seen him since. Mom hasn’t been the same since then and the family portraits stopped after she remarried. The man she’s married to now is more business-like than family-oriented and she seems like she aims to please him. I guess he has a fair bit of money to contribute, but I don’t understand why mom is so desperate to keep him around. I mean, she is the richer one between the two, so it can’t be money. He’s so mechanic that I doubt he could show love, so love itself is out of the picture. What keeps her so bound to this man? What kept me bound to Alex?

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Another school day. Same old idiots. Grayson and Rudolph seem to think I’m their friend because they both ambushed me as I walked into the school doors.

“Good morning Captain grouch!” Grayson stated with a salute. “How may I be of service?”

“You can start by not calling that,” I replied, choosing to ignore his whole charade. “Why are you so happy this morning anyways?”

“The sun is shining. Birds are singing. What reason do I have to not be happy?” Grayson responded with a smile on his face.

A smile. Something I haven’t been able to muster since Alex’s death. It looks like such an interesting thing to do. I was once capable of producing such a captivating thing. Wonder if I’ll ever be able to again...

At this point Rudolph spoke up, “Did you guys hear? There might be a new kid coming in tomorrow. I heard that his parent’s wealth rivals yours, Arnold.”

“I wonder who that could be…” I thought out loud just enough for Grayson to hear.

“You look like you have a clue as to who it might be,” Grayson stated, clearly observing me way too close for my comfort.

“It might be him, but I don’t want to believe it,” I replied vaguely. “Could they really be back in town?” I thought to myself as we walked to class.

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Classes are a major bore. I mean we need to learn but can’t they do it in a manner that doesn’t make me want to fall asleep every time I enter? Sure, I don’t really care about school anymore, but you’d think they’d care to try get me to get my grades up. No, they just care about getting their salary and the rest they’ll make up as they go along. I feel like some of them don’t even have the qualifications to be a teacher. Ugh, why isn’t the bell ringing for my favourite time of the day?

Gosh… Finally, LUNCH TIME!!! About the only thing at this school that makes it worth attending. As per usual I have my special table, but alas, it has been defiled by Grayson and his sidekick Rudolph.

“I should just accept the fact that you two are going to be permanent thorns in my ass and that I have no chance of getting rid of you?” I asked as I approached them at my table.

“You make it sound like we’re the unsociable one,” Rudolph said rolling his eyes at my statement.

“Come on now boys, play nice,” Grayson said playfully as I said down across from them. I haven’t taken time to notice their physical features because I really don’t want to connect with them. Human interactions leave one emotionally vacant if unchecked.

“So, how have classes been, former valedictorian?” Rudolph asked me, coming off as more an insult than a question.

“Rather fantastic! I have discovered various methods to sleep in class and a fool proof method of failing tests and assignments. Nothing can stop me now,” I retorted, not allowing this bastard to get the better of me. He looked annoyed by my reply but Grayson, however, was thoroughly amused.

“You two get along like oil and water,” he stated as he took a bite of his burger. “Better yet, you get along like the middle-class and upper-class students lately.”.

I turned back to see what he was looking at only to see the current leaders of both tables ready to bash it out in the cafeteria. “Just great, a food fight is just what the doctor ordered today.” I groaned internally as I picked up my tray getting ready to leave. “I’m not exactly in the mood for detention so if you guys want to follow, I’ll be eating outside,” I stated to the 2 then I made my way to the park situated just outside the cafeteria.

“Look at you. Inviting us to eat with you and get some sunshine. Maybe you aren’t so cold-hearted after all,” Rudolph said taking a seat next to me on the grass.

“Thanks. And you’re not as stupid as I was led to believe,” I replied while picking at my food. Grayson took a seat next to Rudolph and they started talking about their after-school plans. I blocked them out and started thinking about the new boy. Rudolph had said his parent’s wealth rivals my parent’s wealth and there was only one person I knew who could rival mom and that was dad. I have a gut feeling that this is dad, but it could be someone else entirely. Hmmm… I guess we’ll see what tomorrow will bring us.

“ARNOLD!” someone was shouting at me. “WHAT???” I replied, frustrated that my thoughts had been broken.

“Uh, me and Rudolph were wondering if you’d like to hang out with us after school? We’re heading to the mall and well, we just wanted to see if you’d come with…” Grayson asked shyly while Rudolph looked at him with an annoyed face.

“Uh... Are you sure cause Rudolph the red-faced guy here has a facial expression that’s more hostile than welcoming,” I said trying to piss Rudolph off even more. I think it worked cause the guy looked like he was about to explode. I guess I should piss people off for a living from now on.

“Sure, he does. He’s just jealous that you have my attention lately,” Grayson said, likely teasing him but I think there’s more to the pair than meets the eye. They stared at each other as if to send some secret message that the other could read just by looking at one another.

“They must be a couple,” I thought to myself as I observed them. “Ehm, sure, I’ll accompany you both to the mall then,” I said to get their attention and break up their staring contest. It had begun to unnerve me.

“Great! We’ll leave straight after school and head to the mall then. Do you have to notify anyone or…?” Grayson asked me.

“Just my dad as he is supposed to pick me up after school. Let me do that quick before the bell rings.”

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While I was on the phone and the pair were once again conversing amongst themselves, we were unaware of someone watching me from not too far away. Their eyes had been fixated on me the whole time we were there. This person had been able to catch parts of our conversation and knew I was going to the mall. “Maybe I can finally talk to him,” this person said to themselves. This person has been watching me since before the departure of my dad. This person has been a part of my life at some point. This person was once important to me.

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“The mall is a go,” I said as I approached the “love birds”.

“Great…” RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!!! “Ah shucks, I guess we’ll hash out the details at 2pm then. Be at the parking lot. We’ll go from there. See you in a bit Arnold!” Grayson shouted as he rushed to his last class. Rudolph didn’t say anything as he walked away. How rude…

Anyways, last class is always uneventful (like every other class), so I just block out what the teacher says. I focused my thoughts this time on Rudolph and Grayson. My acquaintances. Acquaintances? Is it alright to call them that? I mean socially speaking that is what they are, but can I really call them that? I mean, it would be weird to call them that in public today… Maybe “friends” will do for today’s excursion. Then they go back to be my acquaintances. That’s how it’ll be then.

The final bell rang, and I left class in a bit off a hurry. I’m not sure as to why I was in a hurry but boy, was I in a hurry. Maybe I was nervous to do this because I haven’t had fun in so long. Fun. Yet another word that is foreign to me. I haven’t had fun in 2 years. I have closed myself off from people. Why? Why did I close myself off? Am I afraid of people or of their intentions? I wonder why…

“Yo Arnold, over here!” Grayson shout, waving his hands for me to see him. When I got there Rudolph was already in the driver’s seat, tapping the steering wheel impatiently.

“Let’s get a move on. We’re burning daylight here,” he said as we climbed in. We headed off to the mall, unaware of the surprises that lay ahead.